Margaid
Well-known member
Cocky will have to go to a new home when I move house. Would it better for him to go now so the hens get used to life without him or do I pile all the stress on at once by letting him go when the hens are moved?
Best time for Cocky to go to his new home?
- Thread starter Margaid
- Start date
chrismahon
Well-known member
I'd move him now Margaid. It will take weeks for the hens to adjust and sort themselves out. The stress of a move to new surroundings may be far too much for their immune systems and much sickness may follow when you least need it.
Margaid
Well-known member
Well that plans gone by the board anyway as the chap who was going to have him has given up on the idea of Welsummers and has gone for Marans instead. I've pretty well decided to give up poultry keeping as, with the life change, there's a possibility of much more travelling and I don't know who I could get to look after them. There is a neighbour who might be interested - I'll hope she's at home when I go with the structural surveyor next week and have a word with her. Otherwise I'll be looking to rehome a welsummer cockerel, 2 Exchequer Leghorns and 2 cream Legbars.
Don't ever say 'given up' Margaid - Morehens Disease is a virus, which may go underground for some years when conditions aren't right, but will probably emerge at some point in the future. Trust me, keep that lovely coop!
Margaid
Well-known member
Maybe , maybe not. I'd probably keep the little house and run plus 50 metres of netting and the energiser. I got some things wrong with the big hen house so IF i ever had hens again I would improve it (I've heard that somewhere before...)
Poor Cocky, having lost quite a few feathers either defending his girls or escaping from the predator, is now moulting so looks a very sorry sight.
I'm going to have a chat with the neighbour who has the field and see whether she's interested in a shared flock - I've decided I want to be free to travel so finding a hen sitter is vital. The cats aren't such a problem - they're semi feral now and they may not even come with me, or perhaps find their way back here. There's one last possible scheme so that I stayed here but OH is away so can't discuss it. I don't think it has much mileage but is probably worth a try.
Poor Cocky, having lost quite a few feathers either defending his girls or escaping from the predator, is now moulting so looks a very sorry sight.
I'm going to have a chat with the neighbour who has the field and see whether she's interested in a shared flock - I've decided I want to be free to travel so finding a hen sitter is vital. The cats aren't such a problem - they're semi feral now and they may not even come with me, or perhaps find their way back here. There's one last possible scheme so that I stayed here but OH is away so can't discuss it. I don't think it has much mileage but is probably worth a try.
